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Supreme Court Resolves 24-Year Mystery Around Actor Pratyusha's Death
Pratyusha was a young actor who died in 2002 after drinking pesticide with her boyfriend.
They had reportedly wanted to marry, but his family opposed their relationship.
Her boyfriend survived, but Pratyusha died in the hospital.
Her mother believed that Pratyusha had been raped and killed.
One medical opinion mentioned strangulation, while other experts said poisoning caused her death.
The Supreme Court examined the medical and forensic evidence again in 2026.
It decided that the rape and murder claims had not been proved.
However, it said the boyfriend was still legally responsible for encouraging the suicide pact.
The court ordered him to surrender within four weeks.
Actor Pratyusha died after consuming organophosphate pesticide with her boyfriend, Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy, on February 23, 2002.
Her mother alleged that Pratyusha had been raped and murdered after a post-mortem opinion reportedly cited strangulation.
Other medical experts, including specialists associated with AIIMS, attributed the death to poisoning rather than strangulation.
The Supreme Court ruled on February 17, 2026, that rape and murder were not established and that Pratyusha died from poisoning.
The court upheld Reddy's conviction for abetting suicide, though it did not find him responsible for murder.
- Who
- Kannada actor Pratyusha, her boyfriend Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy, and her mother Sarojini Devi were central to the case.
- What
- The Supreme Court ruled that Pratyusha died from poisoning, rejected claims of rape and murder, and upheld Reddy's conviction for abetting suicide.
- Where
- The events began in the Indian state of Telangana, and Pratyusha was later treated in a hospital; the final judgment was delivered by the Supreme Court.
- When
- Pratyusha died on February 23, 2002; the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on February 17, 2026.
- Why
- The couple reportedly consumed pesticide after opposition from Reddy's family to their planned marriage, while Pratyusha's mother pursued murder allegations because of conflicting medical opinions.
Murder and Assault Allegation
Suicide-Pact Finding
Cause of death
Murder and Assault Allegation
Pratyusha's mother relied on a post-mortem opinion attributed to Dr B Muniswamy, which reportedly identified manual strangulation and said sexual assault could not be ruled out.
Suicide-Pact Finding
Other medical experts and committees, including specialists associated with AIIMS, supported poisoning rather than strangulation; the Supreme Court accepted that conclusion.
Criminal responsibility
Murder and Assault Allegation
Sarojini Devi argued that her daughter had been raped and murdered and challenged the conclusion that the death resulted from a suicide pact.
Suicide-Pact Finding
The prosecution and courts held that Reddy's participation in the pact amounted to abetment to suicide, even though he also consumed poison and survived.
Meaning of the evidence
Murder and Assault Allegation
The conflicting forensic opinions led Pratyusha's mother to believe the investigation had not explained her daughter's death completely.
Suicide-Pact Finding
The Supreme Court found that the available hospital, forensic, and expert evidence did not establish rape, murder, or strangulation.
Key facts
- Date of death
- February 23, 2002
- Age
- 22
- Cause of death found by Supreme Court
- Poisoning after consumption of organophosphate pesticide
- Supreme Court judgment
- February 17, 2026
- Reddy's conviction
- Abetment to suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code
- High Court sentence
- Reduced from five years to two years, with a fine increased to Rs 50,000
- Final direction
- Reddy was ordered to surrender within four weeks
Sources
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